An illuminator, or light source, is provided for producing a high intensity light beam that may be used, for instance, for surgical site illumination or the like.
By way of example, a so-called fiberoptic illuminator or remote illumination device typically includes a lamp or light source within a housing and a jack or port providing a fiber optic cable interface that permits an end fitment or termination of a fiber optic bundle or cable to be connected to the housing so that a high intensity light beam may be directed and introduced into an end of the fiber optic bundle or cable. The cable may transmit the light to an endoscope, headlamp, or like medical/surgical device tethered to the illuminator.
An example of a lamp or light source that may be used in a remote illumination device is a xenon arc lamp. A xenon arc lamp is a specialized type of gas discharge lamp which produces light by passing electricity through ionized xenon gas at high pressure. Such a lamp produces bright white light that closely mimics natural sunlight. Of course, other types of lamps are also utilized.